The new 'Architecture Wind' system is highly efficient, features a bird shield, and looks stylish atop urban roofs. (Source: Aerovironment)

A series of the devices sits perched atop a city roof. Aerovironment is look to generate interest in preparation to mass produce the product and bring it to market in cities worldwide. (Source: Aerovironment)

While some wind power may just blow, Aerovironment looks to be sleek and stylish

Wind power is an oft maligned source of alternative
energy. One common complaint aired is that it’s not cost/resource effective.
On a similar track, people often accuse it of producing too little power to be
helpful. Finally, some accuse it of being too obtrusive. Even some environmentalists
knock wind power for allegedly killing birds that fly into the slowly spinning
metal turbine blade.

While it can't change such opinions overnight, Aerovironment is looking
to slowly warm people to wind power by providing direct solutions to the
frequent criticisms. And in the process, it hopes to transform the face of
modern cities around the world.

Aerovironment produces building-mounted
turbines, smaller than those typically
seen on wind farms. By mounting the turbine structure to the tops of
buildings, the benefits are twofold. First, the cost in resources of
building a pole to support the turbine is eliminated. Secondly, the
turbines can be elevated much higher, exposing them to stronger winds.

The nearly silent turbines snap onto the parapet of urban structures, forming a
design that Aerovironment calls ‘Architectural Wind’. The rows of
turbines not only catch cross currents, but also the frequent currents that
develop up the side of buildings. The result is a 30 percent increase in energy production and even better, a great savings in hassle, in that the
turbines are quick to snap in.

While the system is extremely well designed and efficient, many will be drawn
to its style. The system's curvy design looks more like a modern art
sculpture than a cutting edge alternative energy design. This in turn
adds to the urban appeal. Part of the structure even serves another
utilitarian use -- the large metal plate over the turbine acts as a bird
shield, in an effort to minimize avian casualties.

Aerovironment describes their product stating, "Architectural Wind is
designed to install easily onto the building parapet, operating in plain sight
as an attractive complement to the building’s architecture. Additionally, based
on its proprietary system design, Architectural Wind turbines rotate at low
wind speeds, resulting in a form of ‘kinetic architecture’ that communicates
clearly the generation of clean energy. Working alone or in tandem with other
renewable energy technologies, Architectural Wind is designed to offer an
attractive ROI and cost per kW of installed capacity."

A module weighs 200 lbs, allowing relatively easy installation, but also
ensuring that it won't blow away. They measure 4 feet tall by 4 feet
wide. Installations start at 6 kW of power production and can be scaled
up to produce much more. Almost any rooftop is suitable to the
nonintrusive installation. The product is in development, but the company
hopes to mass produce the new turbines on a large scale, making them relatively
affordable, and ensuring the systems turn a profit in energy costs.

While wind farms leave some with little to be excited about, Aerovironment's
new approach seems an intriguing fit to bring wind power to an urban atmosphere
and start cutting costs.

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I say lets diversify our power production sources. The more energy sources the less likely we are to become dependent on one source ever again(ie. Oil!!!). Why not harness the power the earth gives us for free like wind and wave... And of course the power of the sun. I'd like to see a future where every roof top has wind and solar power collection. At least solar what better place to put solar panels than on wasted roof top space. Cost is the only factor holding me back. I hope that changes sooner rather than later...

There was a great show I saw, can't remember the name of it. Essentially they were talking about research going on to recreate photosynthesis. Basically we would turn our roof's into giant leaves. You'd go to your local home depot or whatever, and buy giant rolls of this stuff to lay on your roof.

It was a fantastic idea, I really do think we will reach this goal just a matter of time.

Doesn't sound like a fantastic idea to me... photosynthesis is the conversion of light energy to chemical energy. You'd need lots of water, and in the end you'd end up with sugars, which would then have to be converted into electricity, which wastes more energy.

Why not skip the unecessary step and use solar, or just grow stuff on our roofs and eat it?

I like the idea of photosynthesis, if they can make it work without loosing too much energy through the conversions, but the problem with solar panels is that they're at a little over 20% efficiency at the moment. there are companies though that build structures of mirrors and lenses to put on top of solar panels to increase the efficiency to about 40% (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentrated_Photovol...